"In the next five years we can use the new powers of our parliament to transform our economy. We can invest in education to give our young people the skills they need to compete for the jobs of the future.

"The best future for our country is as a high wage, high skill economy. To get there we need to invest in cutting the gap between the richest and the rest in our classrooms, and we need to stop the cuts to public services."

Scottish Liberal Democrat Willie Rennie, who was also campaigning in the capital, said: "This election is about getting Scotland back to being the best again and that is what our penny for education policy will deliver.

"A £500 million investment in education will allow us to extend free early years education, give extra help at school to kids who need it and reverse SNP cuts that have hammered Scotland's colleges."

Willie Rennie today

Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie was rallying activists in Edinburgh, before continuing his campaigning in Glasgow.

He said: "This has been the biggest Green campaign to date and our teams of campaigners throughout Scotland are working hard to win every crucial vote. With Labour in decline and the SNP lacking a constructive challenge, it's never been more important to vote Green."